Distance
by Sapphire09
Summary: Songfic. Sequel another songfic, Missing. Two years after his leave, things changed in Konoha, yet still the same. Just when they thought they were close, he was getting far away from their reach. Song by Linkin Park; New Divide


**Sapphire09: **Here is the sequel for the story **Missing**. My warning is probably some grammar errors and OOC-ness.

**DISCLAIMER : **_Naruto_ is owned by _Masashi Kishimoto_ and the song _New Divide_ is owned by _Linkin Park_.

* * *

**~|Distance|~  
**_by Sapphire09_

* * *

Deep inside a dark chamber lays a figure with spiky blonde hair and whiskered cheeks. The sound of the rain pounding outside the chamber became a lullaby to his ears. The sound of footsteps then can be heard from the hallway outside the room. Before long, the door opened and another figure can be seen standing near the door.

"Naruto, the leader is calling for you," the figure said. The blonde's eyes then opened slightly, to show a pair of sky blue eyes. However, the eyes that once brilliant now are dull without life. Slowly, Naruto gets up and then began to stand on his two feet.

"Tell him I'll be there soon. I'll go change," he replied silently, but enough for the other person to hear clearly. The other person then nodded and turned to the hallway and closes the door, letting the darkness to engulf the room once more.

_I remember black skies_

_And lightning all around me_

He turned to his window to see the dark, stormy skies.

_I remembered each flash_

_As time began to burn_

Flashes of lightning can be seen now and then, illuminates the room every time they flashed. He can also hear the thunder rumbling in between the pounding rain.

_Like a startling sign_

_The feint had finally found me_

He turned and grabbed a black robe with the red cloud pattern on it. He stares at the robe before putting it on. He then opened the door and walks through the slightly lit hallway and start walking to the leader's room, located at the top floor of the tower.

_And your voice was all I heard_

_That I get what I deserve_

Soon, he arrived at the leader's room and he knocks three times before he went in. There, straight ahead of him, right behind the desk, sat the Leader of Akatsuki, that is also known as the ruler of Amegakure.

_So give me reason_

_To prove me wrong_

_To wash this memory clean_

"You called, Uncle?" Naruto asked indifferently. Pein smirked in satisfaction before he leans back to his chair. "Yes, I did, Naruto. It has been 2 years since you joined this organization. Have you… made yourself comfortable here, my dear nephew?" he asked. Naruto nodded.

_Let the thoughts cross_

_The distance in your eyes_

"Yes, Uncle. In fact…," he trailed off. His mind drifted to his days in Konoha years ago. The days when he felt emptiness and always looking for acknowledgement. "…I felt more comfortable here than over there."

_Give me reason_

_To fill this hole_

"Have you ever thought about your…'friends' from Konoha in your stay here?" Pein asked with indifferent tone, yet there's a hint of honest curiosity in it.

_Ignite the space between_

Naruto didn't reply soon. Pein thought he won't answer, but then he parted his lips slightly and then he replied.

_Let it be enough to reach the truth and lies_

_Across this new divide_

"No, I haven't."

* * *

They walk through the busy street of Konoha, under the bright blue sky and the shining sun. Constant greetings were said to them as they passed by through the stores and stalls. It was a perfect day.

_There is nothing inside_

_The memories left abandoned_

Yet, it truly clashed with the way they felt inside. The perfection of the day makes them see even more clearly the imperfection of them. Their eyes constantly downcast, yet they tried to hide their feeling of emptiness. The loss they had.

_There was nowhere to hide_

_The ashes fell like snow_

They then reached the red tower that has the kanji for 'fire' on it. They went inside, and soon they reached the office where a blonde-haired woman with honey-colored eyes sat behind the desk across them. "You finally come, Team Kakashi…," she said as he carefully scanning every one of them. Three of them had the same expression. Indifference, yet bitterness and hidden regret can be seen deep in their eyes. She then starts explaining the mission.

_And the ground caved in_

_Between where we were standing_

"… I believe you understand what your mission is. Now, go!" she ordered. They then disappeared in an instant, in three swirls of leaves. "I hope they'll succeed this time…," she sighed.

_And your voice was all I heard_

"Naruto has been gone far too long for Kakashi's team to hold on…," she muttered. Her eyes then saddened.

_That I get what I deserve_

"Didn't you realize that you hurt us too, gaki…?Or… you do intended to do it to punish us?"

* * *

Two figures can be seen jumping from one tree to another. Both of them are wearing the similar black cloak with red cloud patterns. They halted abruptly as a kunai suddenly appeared and exploded as soon as it reached the soil. The figures managed to evade the explosion.

_So give me reason_

Three figures leapt down to where the two figures are standing and surround them. The two figures whose faces are hidden beneath the straw hats they wore merely glanced around them. "Konoha nin," one of them said indifferently. Three of them wore jounin vest.

_To prove me wrong_

One of their ambusher growled silently. His black eyes turned red as his black hair swayed by the wind. Another one with gray hair prepared a kunai on his hand and already in a stance. The only girl in the group with pink hair looks ready to attack.

_To wash this memory clean_

"Oh! Isn't that your 'lil bro, Itachi?" the larger figure asked the shorter one. "Well, it seems we met again, aren't we? When is our last encounter? Hmm…," he said again as he remove his hat, along with the other one. The group tensed at that gesture. After their hats are removed, they now know who they are.

_Let the thoughts cross_

"Aha! I remember! It was two years ago, when we were supposed to look for the Kyuubi's vessel in Konoha! Such failure…," the blue-skinned shark-like man said as he shows his toothy grin and shakes his head. Sasuke gritted his teeth even more. "Where's Naruto?" Sakura asked in silent anger.

_The distance in your mind_

"We have no responsibilities to answer you," Itachi said indifferently. "You were the reason he left in the first place, anyway." Kakashi's grip on the kunai hardens then. "Tell us or we'll use force on you," he said as he forced himself to stay calm.

_Across this new divide_

"And what right do you have to force us?" Kisame asked as he looks down on them. "You were the one that left him."

"URUSAI!!" Sasuke yelled as he charged on them, or more specifically, Itachi. However, he easily dodged the attack. Sakura and Kakashi also charged to them, but they dodged it too. Both of them jumped back and staring them straight.

"You know as well—no, perhaps even better than we do, that he only wanted two things in his life. You were so close in giving those things, yet then you began taking him for granted," Kisame said. "Acknowledgement from his friends and people that he can see as a family, that's all he ever asked for in his life."

"It's pretty ironic that he got those two things from us, criminals, instead from you, those whose supposed to be his friends," Itachi said in monotone.

_And every loss_

"You, who said to yourself that you were his friends and he was your friend…"

_And every lie_

"What did you ever done for him? Have you ever set aside your ego to actually see _him_?" Itachi said again. Sasuke's shoulders are trembling then. "URUSAI!! We don't want to hear it from you!" he raged. Kakashi's eyes are averted, but still alert of them. His eyes clearly showed his shame. Sakura's eyes also held a deep, yet hidden, sadness.

_And every truth that you deny_

"He already did everything for you, to the point that he almost lost his own life. Yet, you _left_ him alone at the end, especially when he needed you the most," he continued. "Even _we_ aren't that _selfish_."

_And each regret_

"Urusai, urusai, URUSAI!!" Sasuke yelled again and charged. Again, Itachi dodged it. Kisame then jumped back to where Itachi is.

_And each divide_

"Heh. Truth hurts, isn't it?" Kisame mocked. "If only you gave him more credit that he deserves, this would never happen. Even a little acknowledgment would help."

_Are some mistakes you pray to hide_

"What do you know…," Sakura muttered. "What do you know about him?" she said through clenched teeth. She was angry, because she knew it was all true. But, she's angrier that those _criminals,_ the one that supposed to be _his_ enemies, knows more about him than them, his friends.

_And your voice was all I heard_

"He was easy to read, but you simply never notice it because you're too busy with your own business," Kisame said. He then smirked. "I need to say this, though. It seems you're pretty persistent and too stubborn, or perhaps you already too desperate to think straight that you even face us head on, with only three people." Kisame then hold his Samehada in front of him, ready to attack.

_But I get what I deserve_

The three-man team then got into a defensive stance. Suddenly, they hear a very familiar voice ringing in the air.

_So give me reason_

"How much longer you'll make me wait?" the voice said. It seems that the voice even startled the Akatsuki team. The one that seems most unaffected is Itachi, but Sasuke saw him flinched a little. They then snapped their heads to the source of the voice, while Sakura, Kakashi and Sasuke, hesitantly glanced to the source.

_To prove me wrong_

There, up on the tree branch, stands a figure with the same Akatsuki robe that their foes are wearing. The figure has the features that they know all too well. Whisker marks, spiky blonde hair, blue eyes….

_To wash this memory clean_

"Naruto-kun, what are you doing here?" Itachi said indifferently. Naruto stared down from where he stands. The blue eyes he held aren't the same with the one they remembered. The one they remembered are brighter.

_Let the thoughts cross_

_The distance in your eyes_

"Hakufu was wondering why it took you so long to finish the mission. He sent me to see your condition," his dull blue eyes then glanced to the team that he used to be with. "I see you met some troublesome _obstacle_."

_Give me reason_

"How long you've waited?" Itachi asked. "Since Kisame said 'Isn't that your 'lil bro, Itachi?'" he quoted indifferently. Itachi merely smirked.

_To fill this hole_

"Naru—!" Sakura exclaimed after she gotten over her surprise, but then Naruto continue speaking and disregard them, as if they were merely another ninja from another village.

_Connect the space between_

"It's better for you to go back soon. You know as well as I do that hakufu is bad at waiting," he said before he turns and about to leave. "Ch-ch-chotto matte!" Sakura called to him.

_Let it be enough to reach the truth and lies_

Naruto merely glanced back and stared at them indifferently before he disappears into the thin air. "Naruto!!"

_Across this new divide_

"Then, we'll also take our leave," Itachi said as he and Kisame also disappeared. Sasuke gritted his teeth in frustration. They have been so close, so close in taking Naruto back.

_Across this new divide_

"This is bad. Not even Pakkun can trace them anymore. They completely hid their presence," Kakashi said after he summoned Pakkun.

"But, how can that be? They only left _very_ recently. There must be something left!" Sakura exclaimed in disbelief. "There's _supposed_ to be something left. But, there's nothing," Kakashi said.

_Across this new divide_

"DAMN IT!!" Sasuke punched the nearby tree and growled in frustration. They were so _close_! SO CLOSE!!

Yet, why is it seems that he's still too far away?

* * *

_Glossary:_

Gaki – kid

Urusai – shut up

Hakufu – parent's younger brother, uncle

Chotto matte – wait a minute

**Sapphire09:** Well… that's the sequel! Sorry if it's random or the song didn't really fit well…

Now that I think about it.... It seems in this story Naruto and Sasuke switch places.... Neruto left and Sasuke is the one that went looking for him....

Anyway, please tell me what you think!! Constructive criticism is absolutely allowed!

**Flames will be used to roast marshmallows **


End file.
